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Company limited by guarantee

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Until 1981, it was possible in the United Kingdom to form a company limited by guarantee with a share capital, although the number of these companies remaining is very small.,
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is similarly structured, with two limited liability partnerships of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP being the members and providing
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In the UK, some quasi-governmental organisations are incorporated as companies limited by guarantee, a government or minister having ultimate control. The
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The form is also often used by organisations with some kind of national coordinating function. Examples in the UK include the domain name registry
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services. The Big Four accountancy firms (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers) are each organized using this structure.
906:, the healthcare company, which has 32 million customers in more than 190 countries and which employs more than 84,000 people around the world. 924:, formed in 2016, is structured as an English private company limited by guarantee (named Gowling WLG International Limited), in which the two 1244: 305: 547: 1176: 1259: 913:
services are the individual constituent firms using a common brand. The company limited by guarantee typically does not itself provide
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A number of professional services providers are structured as private companies limited by guarantee in which the members that provide
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Some law firms also use this structure to establish an internationally branded presence. For example, the Anglo-Canadian law firm of
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of Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP and Gowling WLG (UK) LLP are members and provide legal services; the structure is similar to the
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structure used by several other major international law firms. In another example, the Anglo-American law firm of
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of the Australia, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Hong Kong and Ireland, and in the Canadian provinces of
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In many countries, a company limited by guarantee must include the suffix
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The form originated in the United Kingdom, and now exists under the
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Charitable incorporated organisation (England and Wales)
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In the UK, a company limited by guarantee can distribute its
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Private companies limited by guarantee of the United Kingdom
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is limited to a (typically very small) amount listed in the
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where the liability of members in the event the company is
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UK Office of Public Sector Information: Companies Act 2006
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One of the largest companies limited by guarantee is
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and charities (especially larger charities, such as
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Some uses of companies limited by guarantee include
1270:Private companies limited by guarantee of Scotland 1067:"World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong 世界自然(香港)基金會" 875:(London Access Point). Examples elsewhere include 1265:Private companies limited by guarantee of England 1226: 306:Scottish charitable incorporated organisation 794:. However, in Australia this is not allowed. 705: 968: 766:It is used primarily but not exclusively by 1085:Bupa - an international healthcare company 712: 698: 996:"What Is a Company Limited by Guarantee?" 897: 778:companies and quasi-governmental bodies. 763:. It previously existed in New Zealand. 1174: 820:and membership organisations, including 1227: 811: 407:Limited liability limited partnership 322:Industrial and provident society  993: 504:Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung 1245:Social economy in the United Kingdom 1155:"About the structure of Gowling WLG" 881:World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong 803:private companies limited by shares 770:(including charities) that require 13: 790:to its members, if allowed by its 781: 748:, although rare exceptions exist. 742:company's articles or constitution 14: 1281: 1260:Privately held companies of Wales 1212: 549:Société à responsabilité limitée 38: 1194: 1168: 1147: 1133: 1119: 861:England and Wales Cricket Board 1105: 1091: 1073: 1059: 1055:Companies House registry entry 1036: 1006: 987: 962: 950: 926:limited liability partnerships 838:non-governmental organizations 1: 1255:Companies of Northern Ireland 1175:Mackrael, Kim (8 July 2015). 943: 726:company limited by guarantee 431:Massachusetts business trust 7: 994:Omari, Ilyas (2024-05-23). 973:. Oxford University Press. 888:Financial Conduct Authority 618:Piercing the corporate veil 314:Community interest company 289:UK / Ireland / Commonwealth 277:Economic interest grouping 10: 1286: 387:Limited liability company 959:, Retrieved 23 March 2014 598:Internal affairs doctrine 593:and estoppel corporations 1250:Types of business entity 1240:Privately held companies 1081:"Our employee wellbeing" 869:London Internet Exchange 768:non-profit organisations 22:This article is part of 1181:The Wall Street Journal 1042:UK Independence Party: 801:in its name; alongside 792:articles of association 268:Societas unius personae 130:General corporate forms 898:Commercial enterprises 580:Business judgment rule 1018:companieshouse.gov.uk 969:Hannigan, B. (2003). 934:Womble Bond Dickinson 850:UK Independence Party 774:. Other uses include 524:Naamloze vennootschap 514:Kabushiki gaisha 331:Limited company  957:companylawclub.co.uk 844:), and at least one 648:Beneficial ownership 585:Corporate governance 421:Delaware corporation 248:Societas cooperativa 1141:"Network Structure" 812:Not-for-profit uses 663:Corporate registers 623:Rochdale Principles 377:Benefit corporation 203:Sole proprietorship 16:Type of corporation 1049:2014-05-24 at the 1024:on 12 October 2008 464:Aktiengesellschaft 436:Nevada corporation 1129:. 23 August 2022. 1113:"Legal Statement" 980:978-0-406-91356-2 877:Cricket Australia 834:social enterprise 826:PGA European Tour 772:legal personality 722: 721: 603:Limited liability 565: 564: 474:Ansvarlig selskap 361:Unlimited company 198:Shelf corporation 193:Shell corporation 181:Limited liability 1277: 1206: 1205: 1198: 1192: 1191: 1189: 1187: 1172: 1166: 1165: 1163: 1161: 1151: 1145: 1144: 1137: 1131: 1130: 1123: 1117: 1116: 1109: 1103: 1102: 1095: 1089: 1088: 1077: 1071: 1070: 1063: 1057: 1040: 1034: 1033: 1031: 1029: 1020:. Archived from 1010: 1004: 1003: 991: 985: 984: 966: 960: 954: 822:students' unions 776:mutual insurance 714: 707: 700: 668:Registered agent 613:Drag-along right 553: 538: 528: 518: 508: 498: 488: 478: 468: 458: 427: 410: 390: 334: 325: 317: 309: 301: 290: 280: 272: 262: 258:Societas privata 252: 242: 223: 222: 42: 19: 18: 1285: 1284: 1280: 1279: 1278: 1276: 1275: 1274: 1225: 1224: 1215: 1210: 1209: 1202:"Legal Notices" 1200: 1199: 1195: 1185: 1183: 1173: 1169: 1159: 1157: 1153: 1152: 1148: 1139: 1138: 1134: 1125: 1124: 1120: 1111: 1110: 1106: 1097: 1096: 1092: 1079: 1078: 1074: 1065: 1064: 1060: 1051:Wayback Machine 1041: 1037: 1027: 1025: 1012: 1011: 1007: 992: 988: 981: 967: 963: 955: 951: 946: 900: 846:political party 814: 784: 782:Characteristics 744:. Most have no 732:) is a type of 718: 673: 672: 653:Civil procedure 643: 635: 634: 608:Tag-along right 575: 567: 566: 551: 536: 526: 516: 506: 496: 486: 476: 466: 456: 425:statutory trust 419: 408: 388: 332: 329: 323: 315: 307: 299: 288: 278: 270: 260: 250: 240: 220: 218:by jurisdiction 217: 216:Corporate forms 208: 207: 188:Private limited 156:Holding company 131: 123: 122: 104: 50: 49:By jurisdiction 17: 12: 11: 5: 1283: 1273: 1272: 1267: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1223: 1222: 1214: 1213:External links 1211: 1208: 1207: 1193: 1167: 1146: 1132: 1118: 1104: 1099:"Terms of Use" 1090: 1072: 1058: 1035: 1005: 986: 979: 961: 948: 947: 945: 942: 899: 896: 813: 810: 783: 780: 720: 719: 717: 716: 709: 702: 694: 691: 690: 689: 688: 683: 681:Company portal 675: 674: 671: 670: 665: 660: 655: 650: 644: 641: 640: 637: 636: 633: 632: 625: 620: 615: 610: 605: 600: 595: 587: 582: 576: 573: 572: 569: 568: 563: 562: 561: 560: 555: 545: 540: 530: 520: 510: 500: 490: 480: 470: 460: 446: 445: 441: 440: 439: 438: 433: 428: 417: 412: 404: 399: 398: 397: 395:Low-profit LLC 384: 379: 371: 370: 366: 365: 364: 363: 358: 357: 356: 351: 346: 341: 327: 319: 311: 303: 292: 291: 285: 284: 283: 282: 274: 264: 254: 244: 230: 229: 227:European Union 221: 214: 213: 210: 209: 206: 205: 200: 195: 190: 185: 184: 183: 178: 173: 163: 158: 153: 148: 143: 138: 132: 129: 128: 125: 124: 121: 120: 119: 118: 113: 106:European Union 102: 97: 92: 87: 82: 77: 75:Cayman Islands 72: 67: 62: 57: 51: 48: 47: 44: 43: 35: 34: 28: 27: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1282: 1271: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1261: 1258: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1232: 1230: 1220: 1217: 1216: 1203: 1197: 1182: 1178: 1171: 1156: 1150: 1142: 1136: 1128: 1122: 1114: 1108: 1100: 1094: 1086: 1082: 1076: 1068: 1062: 1056: 1052: 1048: 1045: 1039: 1023: 1019: 1015: 1009: 1001: 997: 990: 982: 976: 972: 965: 958: 953: 949: 941: 939: 938:client-facing 935: 931: 927: 923: 918: 916: 915:client-facing 912: 911:client-facing 907: 905: 895: 893: 889: 884: 882: 878: 874: 870: 866: 862: 858: 853: 851: 847: 843: 839: 835: 831: 830:co-operatives 827: 823: 819: 809: 806: 804: 800: 795: 793: 789: 779: 777: 773: 769: 764: 762: 758: 754: 749: 747: 746:share capital 743: 739: 735: 731: 727: 715: 710: 708: 703: 701: 696: 695: 693: 692: 687: 684: 682: 679: 678: 677: 676: 669: 666: 664: 661: 659: 656: 654: 651: 649: 646: 645: 642:Related areas 639: 638: 631: 630: 626: 624: 621: 619: 616: 614: 611: 609: 606: 604: 601: 599: 596: 594: 592: 588: 586: 583: 581: 578: 577: 571: 570: 559: 556: 554: 550: 546: 544: 541: 539: 535: 531: 529: 525: 521: 519: 515: 511: 509: 505: 501: 499: 495: 491: 489: 485: 481: 479: 475: 471: 469: 465: 461: 459: 454: 450: 449: 448: 447: 443: 442: 437: 434: 432: 429: 426: 422: 418: 416: 415:S corporation 413: 411: 405: 403: 400: 396: 393: 392: 391: 385: 383: 382:C corporation 380: 378: 375: 374: 373: 372: 369:United States 368: 367: 362: 359: 355: 352: 350: 347: 345: 342: 340: 337: 336: 335: 328: 326: 320: 318: 312: 310: 304: 302: 296: 295: 294: 293: 287: 286: 281: 275: 273: 269: 265: 263: 259: 255: 253: 249: 245: 243: 238: 234: 233: 232: 231: 228: 225: 224: 219: 212: 211: 204: 201: 199: 196: 194: 191: 189: 186: 182: 179: 177: 174: 172: 169: 168: 167: 164: 162: 159: 157: 154: 152: 149: 147: 144: 142: 139: 137: 134: 133: 127: 126: 117: 114: 112: 109: 108: 107: 103: 101: 98: 96: 95:United States 93: 91: 88: 86: 83: 81: 78: 76: 73: 71: 68: 66: 63: 61: 58: 56: 53: 52: 46: 45: 41: 37: 36: 33: 32:Corporate law 30: 29: 25: 21: 20: 1196: 1184:. Retrieved 1180: 1170: 1158:. Retrieved 1149: 1135: 1127:"Governance" 1121: 1107: 1093: 1084: 1075: 1061: 1044:constitution 1038: 1026:. Retrieved 1022:the original 1017: 1008: 999: 989: 970: 964: 952: 930:Swiss Verein 919: 908: 901: 892:Network Rail 885: 854: 815: 807: 798: 796: 785: 765: 750: 729: 725: 723: 627: 590: 548: 533: 523: 513: 503: 494:Aksjeselskap 493: 484:Aktieselskab 483: 473: 463: 452: 339:by guarantee 267: 257: 247: 236: 141:Conglomerate 85:South Africa 1186:24 February 1160:24 February 971:Company Law 922:Gowling WLG 761:Nova Scotia 753:company law 629:Ultra vires 349:proprietary 166:Partnership 161:Joint-stock 151:Corporation 146:Cooperative 1229:Categories 944:References 940:services. 857:Nominet UK 686:Law portal 534:Osakeyhtiö 453:Aktiebolag 402:Series LLC 574:Doctrines 344:by shares 60:Australia 1047:Archived 1028:23 March 879:and the 832:, other 738:wound up 658:Contract 591:De facto 423: / 237:Societas 55:Anguilla 24:a series 1000:Lawpath 799:Limited 788:profits 757:Alberta 734:company 558:more... 176:Limited 171:General 136:Company 116:Germany 100:Vietnam 977:  871:) and 867:LINX ( 552:(SARL) 527:(N.V.) 517:(K.K.) 507:(GmbH) 455:  444:Others 409:(LLLP) 354:public 333:(Ltd.) 308:(SCIO) 279:(EEIG) 239:  111:France 70:Canada 873:LONAP 848:(the 842:Oxfam 818:clubs 487:(A/S) 477:(ANS) 389:(LLC) 324:(IPS) 316:(CIC) 300:(CIO) 271:(SUP) 261:(SPE) 251:(SCE) 80:India 1188:2016 1162:2016 1053:and 1030:2018 975:ISBN 904:Bupa 890:and 865:IXPs 863:and 852:). 759:and 543:S.A. 537:(Oy) 497:(AS) 467:(AG) 457:(AB) 241:(SE) 883:. 828:), 730:CLG 65:BVI 1231:: 1179:. 1083:. 1016:. 998:. 859:, 836:, 805:. 724:A 90:UK 26:on 1221:. 1204:. 1190:. 1164:. 1143:. 1115:. 1101:. 1087:. 1069:. 1032:. 1002:. 983:. 728:( 713:e 706:t 699:v

Index

a series
Corporate law

Anguilla
Australia
BVI
Canada
Cayman Islands
India
South Africa
UK
United States
Vietnam
European Union
France
Germany
Company
Conglomerate
Cooperative
Corporation
Holding company
Joint-stock
Partnership
General
Limited
Limited liability
Private limited
Shell corporation
Shelf corporation
Sole proprietorship

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